"Everyone knows all we have done to reduce lines and waits at driver's license centers, but another key priority of the department is safeguarding the identities of Georgia citizens and preventing document fraud," said Governor Perdue. "These new cards will be the most secure our state has ever issued."

New card production will take place in Conyers, Covington and Locust Grove beginning in September.  Implementation of the system statewide should take a couple of months with all license renewal centers producing the new cards by the end of November.

If you have recently renewed a license or ID card, it will remain valid until its expiration date when it will be exchanged for the newly-designed card.

"We are very excited about these innovative changes allowing Georgians to have one of the most secure cards in the nation," said Gregory C. Dozier, DDS Commissioner. "It is a bright and modern card that our customers will be proud to carry."

The state says the new documents are designed to be more difficult to counterfeit, alter or replicate.  Size does not change.  The license will be roughly the size of a credit card.  The new cards make use of a number of security features including ghost photos, a laser-engraved signature over the primary photo to minimize alterations and a tamper resistant coating placed over the card. 

The card will also feature machine readable barcodes that can be used by banks, retailers and other businesses to verify the information printed on the card's front.

Fees will not increase and customers will still be able to chose between a five-year or ten-year license or ID.

Other Features:

"Under 21"
A major security feature of the new process is designed to combat underage drinking. Cards issued to those "Under 21" will be printed in a vertical format, aiding retailers and law enforcement in identifying minors.

Interim
Another new security practice will be the issuance of an interim driver's license or ID. Interim documents will be printed on special security paper which is highly sensitive and will discolor after any attempt to alter it. It contains a photo and signature to allow its use for identification purposes. Interim cards will be valid for up to 45 days or until a permanent laminated license or ID is mailed from the central production print facility to the applicant's mailing address on file with DDS.

Permanent License/ID
The permanent licenses and IDs will be mailed directly to the customer on a mailing carrier that is folded and enclosed in a generic envelope without exposing the actual cards. When the permanent card is received, the interim should be destroyed in accordance with Georgia law and to safeguard personal information. The carrier should be filed by the customer to access later should their license be lost or stolen.

Customer Service Improvements
The new licensing system includes a new data management system with electronic imaging to scan documents where they may be securely stored and easily accessed later. DDS has taken great care in safeguarding our customer's private information. Each customer's personal information becomes a part of the personal driver's license record. It will remain confidential and is disclosed only as authorized or required by law.

When visiting DDS in person, a more efficient one-window-process provides customers with a "one-stop shopping" experience at most locations eliminating the need to visit multiple windows.

If a transaction can not be completed once begun, data can be filed and stored until the required information is presented to complete the service. A customer may visit another location where the stored information may be quickly accessed.

New state-of-the-art equipment will be installed including modern computer and photography equipment and printers that will be faster and more reliable.

For more information, please visit www.dds.ga.gov .






 

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